The invention relates generally to the field of material dispensers, and in particular to dispensers from which a material is deposited to a surface from a tape stored in the dispenser.
Correction tape dispensers are used to apply a thin, white, opaque piece of correction tape over visible markings which have been made on a surface. Typically, the tape is used to cover a mistake in text on a piece of paper. After the tape has been applied over the mistake, the correct text can be written on top of the tape to fix the mistake.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,898 discloses a fairly typical arrangement of a correction tape dispenser (coating film transfer tool). The tool includes a case 2 formed in a flat box-like shape. Case 2 contains a pay-out reel 6 with a coating film transfer tape T wound thereabout, and a winding reel 7 for collecting the used tape Txe2x80x2. A tape drive D connects the two reels to maintain tension in the tape. The tape includes a backing layer which remains on the reels, and a covering layer for covering the visible image on the surface. Tape T passes around a transfer head H as the tape travels from reel 6 to reel 7. The arrangement of head H causes the tape covering layer to be deposited on the surface contacted by the tape while under pressure from the user.
Tape T and used tape Txe2x80x2 are stored respectively on reels 6 and 7 in a multi-layer thick/single-layer wide arrangement. This way of storing the tape on the reels, and the arrangement of the reels relative to each other and to head H causes the case to have the flat box-like shape. Having this case in such a shape is less than optimal for a correction tape dispenser. First, the case can at least partially block the user""s view of the material being corrected. Second, users would find a dispenser shaped more along the lines of a writing instrument (e.g. a cylindrically shaped pen or pencil) more natural to use when correcting writing on paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,229 discloses an apparatus for the application of an adhesive film in which the supply reel 5 and take-up reel 11 are both mounted on a shaft or axis 9. The tape is stored on these reels in a manner similar to that described in the previous paragraph (i.e. a multi-layer thick/single-layer wide arrangement). Such an arrangement also results in an apparatus shape having the drawbacks mentioned at the end of the previous paragraph.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, a dispenser for applying a material to a surface includes a spool rotatable about an axis and a quantity of tape stored on the spool. The tape is passed around an applicator head, the head pressing the tape against a surface to deposit at least a portion of the tape on the surface. The applicator head is located substantially along the axis.
According to another aspect of the invention, a dispenser for applying a material to a surface includes a spool rotatable about an axis. The spool is movable along the axis. A quantity of tape is stored on the spool, the tape causing movement of the spool along the axis as the spool is rotated about the axis.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a dispenser for applying a material to a surface includes a spool and a quantity of tape stored on the spool. The tape has a thickness, a width and a length, and is stored on the spool in a plurality of tape layers thick and a plurality of tape widths wide.
According to another aspect of the invention, a dispenser for applying a material to a surface includes a quantity of tape and a housing which surrounds at least a majority of the tape. A substantial portion of the housing is substantially cylindrical in shape.
The various features of the invention described above enable a correction tape dispenser which is more in the shape of a writing instrument, and thus more naturally wielded by a user of the dispenser.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.